Book Review

OPINION

When Volusia County's main library opened in Daytona Beach in 1979, it was eight times as large as the old library - supposedly large enough to serve the community for 20 years.

But in less than half that time, the 35,000-square-foot library was expanded by 8,500 square feet to include a children's wing.

No one had envisioned the growth that was coming.

The growth that caught the library system by surprise still is here. Fortunately, the county and communities throughout Volusia are trying hard to keep it under control. Consider:

- A new library will open in DeLand with about 26,000 square feet, nearly four times as large as the existing building.

- A library opened last May in Lake Helen.

- Another library opened in Edgewater last June.

- Ormond Beach's library is expanding from 15,000 square feet to 32,000 square feet by the end of this year.

- Friends of the Library in New Smyrna Beach are planning to double the size of their library.

Certainly the Volusia County Council deserves credit for pumping extra money into the library system to play catchup. Two years ago the council agreed to put an extra $100,000 into the library budget each year for books.

Good move. But let's not be satisfied.

Fact is, the Volusia library system, with its 14 branches, still lags behind in the volume of books it needs to serve readers. State standards are not being met. Based on the county population, the libraries should hold 694,000 volumes; they have 569,434. That's a shortfall of nearly 125,000.

The goal in Volusia should be to have the best library system in Florida. That will take a continuing commitment by the council.